Freedom in mp3s
by Sam Bam
Summary: Lee didn't care about C.L.U., or anything politics-related going on. As long as he could sing, everything would be just fine. It works just fine for a while - but then, C.L.U. slaps restrictions on music in the Grid.
1. Chapter I: Swing, Programs!

"_We're not still!  
We don't fight!  
We don't stop-  
We just keep moving on!_"

Another night, another show.  
Another night, another crowd to blow away.

If a program even _dared_ to say 'same ol', same ol',' he'd personally laugh at them. Then, maybe he'd hit them.  
A male program strutted across the stage with a confident air. The heavy techno beats filled his ears to the point where they might be ringing. He wasn't too sure if he had perfect hearing anymore or not. Either way, he was belting the vocals over the harmonious melody in the background. The voice was strong, powerful – and it was met with the rest of the crowd at least attempting to sing along.

He felt a certain leap in his circuits when he saw his audience singing the lyrics. It made him feel like he was at least doing something right. They were learning _his_ music, after all. They could be listening to the MP3 programs at the End of Line club, but they were focused on _him_.  
Damn if he did not have the best fans in the Grid.

"_Look past the lies!  
See what we find!  
Leave it behind-  
And keep on moving on!_"

As he performed the opening song, he allowed himself to get lost in the music.

It took a lot to make him nervous. Perhaps when he first started out, he would have choked upon seeing such a large crowd in front of him. The stage he currently stood on allowed him to see every single circuit in the venue. Yet, he wasn't scared.  
With a bit more experience under his belt, he only felt excitement.

He eventually came back to reality. After a moment, he realized that the music had stopped and that he was dancing to no beat. There was some laughter from the sea of programs, and they were soon joined by the performer. He adjusted one of his black fingerless gloves, taking care to avoid the glowing white circuit.  
Then, he sat down on the edge of the stage.

"Greetings, programs! How's everyone tonight?" A hearty cheer was his response.  
Lee grinned and pushed back a few strands of his orange hair.

"All right, awesome! Thanks for coming out tonight. I know it's kind of a ways out, but hey, look at this stage!" The mp3 program gestured behind him, and the crowd gave out a few more whoops and hollers.  
Lee immediately bounded to his feet and brushed off his black vest. The white circuitry on the front glowed brightly, matching well with the cut-off white shirt underneath. The circuits seemed to shine even on the line down his black pants; perhaps it was trying to illustrate how he felt.  
Excitement. _Excitement._ Drive. This was the biggest stage he'd ever been on, and he was going to do his best to not disappoint.

"I've got a few new songs for you guys, and you'll be the first to hear them! How do all of you feel about swing dancing?"  
The charged response from his audience made his blue eyes shine, and with a cue to the crew in the back, the next song began.

* * *

"No way – hey, bartender, a bit more pure power over here, please! – That's crazy! You seriously lost a Game and lived? How long ago was this?" Lee kept his eyes on the program in front of him as he sipped a bit of energy. The circuits on his outfit flushed for a brief moment, and then dimmed.  
The show had come and gone so fast. It always seemed too early to end it, despite what the two crew members told him. Programs had to leave before the patrols showed up, so he reluctantly called it quits early. It seemed unfair for a show to be cut short when there were so many songs to sing.  
Still, he could be careful on the way to his home. So could the programs he was talking to, apparently.

"It was before C.L.U. took over. Back then, the Games were really for fun."

"Hey, hey! The Games are still for fun!" One program to the side interjected. The small group gathered around the bar chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, for the programs watching. I don't want to imagine what it must be like to be in there and fight for your life," said the lone female in the group. Her tone seemed to have a tint of nostalgia to it, but more than anything, it was sorrow.  
Lee shuddered slightly at the thoughts of the Games and finished his glass to calm his nerves. He wasn't too sure how the conversation drifted to this topic, but it was too far in to stop it now.  
He really had no idea about what these 'Games' were – he didn't have time for something like that, being an mp3. From what he was hearing, they weren't exactly a good time.

_Note to self: Don't let C.L.U.'s name come up in post-show conversations._

He really didn't notice the happenings in the Grid. Not when it came to politics or touchy subjects like this, anyway. His being went out to people that had been wronged, definitely, but there wasn't much he could do about it. All he could do was sing.  
As long programs could enjoy that, there he was doing his job. Lee idly glanced at the clock behind the bar, and moved off of his stool with a sad smile.

"Man, it's getting really late. I have to go power down."

"Hey, you put on a good show tonight, Lee!" The girl next to him flashed a smile, and flicked her head to the side to get her long black hair out of her face. Lee turned to face the girl in front of him, and saw an outstretched hand.  
Both shakes were firm. "Power's on me. Go get some rest."

"Thanks!" Lee returned the smile and winked, then began his walk to the door. The mp3 program looked back for a moment at the small crowd, and gave a hearty wave. "Night, everyone! Thanks for coming out tonight!" Then, he bolted. He'd have to move quick if he wanted to get home with no problems.  
_But hey, I'm good at that._

_

* * *

_

AN: Any and all song lyrics in here are property of Bentley Jones. C: I would never take credit for it. I'd appreciate a review, if you have the time – and ways to improve the story would also be appreciated!  
I finally got this started! I'm excited to finally have a plot for my mp3 program, and hopefully you all will enjoy it too!  
- End of Line -


	2. Chapter II: Searching for Stars

Getting back home was easy enough. The patrols seemed pretty lax tonight, and when he had to go by a few Sentries, they were busy. It shouldn't matter to him; after all, it wasn't like he was doing anything wrong. It still made him nervous to see everything going on. Lee saw a lot of programs get carried off to some unknown place, and new Sentries and members of the Black Guard came in all the time. He could only use his imagination to figure out why the programs were arrested, or what happened to them.  
It got to the point where he was going to the roofs every night now. It was a common thing before, but now he was desperate for it. He wanted a quick moment to look up and forget that he was probably going to be asked a couple of questions about the show tomorrow. They were innocent. Easy enough to answer. Still, the fact that they even had to ask about a _concert_ made him uneasy. It's not like he was part of an underground ring. At least his answers were easy enough.

_'I danced a bit too long and didn't stop until after the song ended. Then, I sang this song about swing dancing. It's pretty cool! Want to hear it?'_

They always declined offers to hear his singing, and were always onto the next patrol. Quick and easy way to get rid of them, that was for sure!

Now that his usual _'I'm smarter than Sentries'_ mental tirade was over, Lee had to focus on why he was currently scaling a building of a few stories. It was strange to have to get permission from the Sentries to climb your own building, but those were the rules. It's how it went. Each climb got easier every night. When it was too easy, he found another route to the top to try out. It always kept things interesting, a bit unpredictable …

And maybe, just maybe, it'd be where he'd be able to find them. Maybe if he looked at different angles, he'd find what he was looking for sometime. The clouds covering the sky would have to move eventually, right? His User perplexed him so much – he mentioned so many things in the songs he sang that he just couldn't understand.

"Unf … finally!" Lee hauled himself up to the top of the building. After he made his way to the corner of the building, he immediately sat down. It felt a bit cold, but it was nothing that was too worrying. His arms wrapped around the railing of the building. His head tipped up.  
His smile faded when he saw that the clouds were still there. Lee could hear the rumbling of thunder close by, and it only made his circuits sink more.

He came up here religiously, sure, but it was always a son of a glitch. He didn't want to think about what he couldn't understand, but he couldn't stop the thoughts. User music was so insanely cryptic. They obviously knew so, so much more than he ever could. The lyrics, no matter how much he analyzed them, would always be at least a bit too complicated. There would always be a few things he didn't understand.  
One of his User's song spoke of angels, and this was the one that confused him the most. What were angels? Were they like Users, good and benevolent beings? Were people like programs? Half of the songs he sang were in a strange language – one he had never heard before. His databases told him that it was 'Japanese.' The words in the strange language weren't his Users; he knew that. His User spoke the same language he did. Lee was content with that knowledge.

What he wasn't content with was the database's explanation of stars. His User made them sound so wondrous, so beautiful. Clouds hid them. He knew that much. It was all he knew. Stars weren't little balls of gas to him – they were so, so much more. All he had to do was see them, and then he'd know.

He'd be happy.

Every time, though, he was disappointed. The thunder and lightning had their own show almost every night. That was far from fair – shouldn't the sky get a bit of time for itself?  
Ah, well. It wasn't anything he could really change. The stars would come out when they were ready. Maybe they were a bit shy. Lee chuckled to himself, and stood up to stretch out. Even if he didn't see the stars, it was nice to relax a bit after a busy day.

Plus, climbing back down was always fun. He was about ready to hop back down to his quarters and power down when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Strange. No one was _ever_ up here at this time of night. They'd be arrested by the Sentries. Lee blinked once, and his eyes widened.  
Someone was definitely up here, and they were only a few buildings away. A part of him wondered if he should call out, but he hesitated. In that moment of hesitation, the stranger seemed to notice that they were being watched. They leaped down the side, and then Lee couldn't see anyone.

He was cursing himself for not moving when he noticed the distinct hum of a Recognizer – why was it out so late? Nevertheless, Lee knew it was definitely time for bed. The Sentries on the ground ignored his building-scaling, but the ones in the Recognizers would definitely arrest him. The mp3 program swung off the top, grabbing the railing as he did so.

The Recognizer flew over his building the moment he scooted through the window back into his room.

* * *

AN: This chapter was actually pretty hard to write. xD; Either way, hope it's satisfactory!  
-End of Line-


	3. Chapter III: Restricted Field

"Lee, come _on_. The Games are going to start soon."

"All right, all right, I'm coming!" Lee was stumbling around his quarters. He didn't mean to power down for almost the entire day, but apparently, that's how it worked out. He had to get the extra energy somehow. Performing really did take a lot out of him.  
However, he had a feeling that his friend would get very irritated if they were late. Lee threw on his black vest, and bounded down the ramp to the entrance of his room.  
After hearing about the Games last night, he decided to want to see them for himself. Luckily for him, his old (and more than likely best) friend had sent him a message, asking to attend the Games with him. Of course, Lee had agreed. He paused as to not hit himself in the face, and let the door open.

For a moment, he examined Malloc's new look, and then shrugged. He definitely looked like a Scout Sentry. Then again, why did he have to wear all of that armor to the Games? It seemed rather … cumbersome? Nah. It was just annoying. Lee flashed a grin and began to move ahead, waving to his friend so that he'd catch up. Malloc immediately followed, latching the staff onto his shoulder lazily.

They walked side-by-side.

"So, you finally got promoted, huh? Good for you!"

"The training was really difficult," Malloc started with a heavy sigh. "I've never been this fit in a while – certainly do feel like a better program." Lee blinked once and glanced up at him, the smile now looking a bit more than forced. That was a strangely dull reaction to something so impressive. This definitely didn't sound like the happy-go-lucky club-goer he met when he first rezzed in the Grid. It seemed like ages ago; he was stumbling around the city, confused and lost. He was only muttering one song to himself the entire time.  
Then, the friendly program showed his face. In a way, just showing some attention saved his life.

"_Hey, what's wrong? You look a bit lost." Lee jerked up, then quickly nodded. The other programs wandering the streets of TRON city seemed to ignore the two programs conversing in the corner – it put him more at ease. There was a slight pause, and then the stranger spoke to Lee again. The Sentries that had taken an interest in the bumbling program turned a blind eye._

"_Well, I know a pretty good place." Malloc stretched out, his blue circuits flushing brightly. "What's your function?"  
It took a while to coax an answer out of the confused and frightened Lee, but eventually, both of them decided that he was an mp3 program. "The need to perform and share the music is definitely a sign of you being an mp3. Come on; let's get you started with getting used to the club scene. Can't get to the End of Line quite yet, but there are some _awesome _smaller places."_

_Malloc wrapped an arm around Lee's shoulders, and guided him to the closest clubhouse._

"Yeah, I hear the training for being a Sentry is pretty brutal." Lee stuffed his hands into his pockets as his eyes darted around the now almost-empty streets. Any programs that were there were walking towards the games themselves, chattering to the others with them. The mp3 program couldn't help but smile slightly. Whatever these Games were, they seemed to bring others together.

"If you think that's bad, you should hear about the requirements to join the Black Guard." Malloc shuddered slightly, causing Lee to raise an eyebrow. He had _never_ seen Malloc shudder before. The requirements must be insane. "That's not something I've been focused on, though. The higher-ups have been dealing with a new influx of programs lately."

This caught Lee's attention. He was silent as he listened.

"Most of them are really null units; they can't really do much. Some of them have expressed interest in protecting the programs, so we have new soldiers … we've got some new workers willing to help patch up the Grid, and even a few new mp3 programs."

"Mp3 programs? That's great! What genres?" Malloc pursed his lips, and Lee knew that under that helmet Malloc was raising an eyebrow. That was his 'perplexed' face, for sure.

"No idea. I hear that one program is really tearing up the scene, though. Her music really appeals to the crowd." They had arrived at the stadium at this point, and after a quick exchange between Malloc and the other Sentries guarding the gates, the pair went through to take their seats.

Lee's mind was spinning as they walked up the stairs. The arena was so _huge_; he had never seen anything like it. There were so many seats, and the center of all of it seemed just as impressive. It was so grandiose, so … _awesome_, for lack of a better word. Combined with the huge amount of programs crowding the area, there were new mp3 programs! How could this get any better?  
He was snapped back into reality as Malloc started speaking again. _Man, once he gets going, nothing really stops him until he's done. At least that hasn't changed._

"None of the programs working for CLU, myself included, really like her. Have you heard any of her songs?" Malloc asked as the two scooted through to find seats in the center.

"No, I haven't. Why don't you like her?"

"It's mostly pro-User … except one song or two."

Lee reluctantly held his tongue. This was one issue that they didn't agree on – Lee loved his User, and Malloc detested all of them. As long as they didn't talk about it too much, it didn't cause much of a rift.  
The smile was back on Lee's face, and he gave Malloc a gentle cuff on the shoulder.

"Ah, gotcha. Well, there are other new mp3 programs. Maybe give them a listen?"

"Perhaps some other time." Lee's face fell at the lackluster reaction. It took him a second to notice that the Games were actually starting, and his disappointment faded almost immediately. The smile was back on his face – he found himself cheering with everyone else.  
The initial darkening of the arena made him feel like he was at some sort of special event. It was hard to imagine that most people came every night.

"Game on!" Rhythmic clapping. "Game on!"

He was clapping right along with the other programs right up to the beginning of the Disk Wars. At first, it was fascinating. Some of the moves these programs pulled just to appease the crowd were especially amazing. There were flips that he could only dream of doing. Some of the throws and dodges were expertly performed.  
Then, the program in the arena in front of him was derezzed. The pieces of what used to be a program scattered, and crashed to the ground with the Identity Disk.

His arm was still partly in the air, mouth gaping. A program was just _murdered _and everyone seemed to be cheering. He used the partly-raised arm to jab Malloc in the side. The Sentry looked down at him, somehow glowering behind the helmet.

"Why is everyone cheering? A program was just killed! There's something wrong with the system!" Malloc shook his head once, and spoke in a hushed tone.

"That's how it goes, Lee. If you're not strong enough, you're derezzed. That's how it's been for the past 900 cycles or so."  
This deeply disturbed him. Lee glanced back to the Disk Wars, only to see a couple of more programs vanish.

_If this is what the Games are like, I don't think that I want to attend again.  
_He felt a certain melancholy twist in his circuits.

* * *

The Games dragged on. Lee was silent as the other programs cheered the numerous events – there was even a "final round" against a program named Rinzler that he refused to witness. From what Malloc had whispered to him, Rinzler was very talented, and the leader's right-hand man. This only proved (to Lee, at least) that the Games were rigged.  
Even after the Disk Wars concluded for the evening, there were Light Cycle races. He looked up to see the ribbons of light across all the levels, but didn't stare for more than a few seconds. Lee was just praying for this night to be over so he can go back home. Search for the stars again. His fists were stuffed in his pockets, and they were only clenching tighter and tighter.

Finally, _finally_, they seemed to be finished for the night. The levels of the Light Cycle Grid were being removed, leaving a flat arena. Lee let out a sigh of relief and was about to weave his way through the crowd to wait at the door when he noticed a ship flying towards the center of the Gaming Grid.

His curiosity got the better of him. Plus, he couldn't abandon Malloc; he had extended an invitation. So, Lee stayed. He peered over other programs' shoulders as a high-ranking Sentry walked out of the strangely-shaped ship. He seemed to be bald and wearing some sort of headgear – and it looked laughable. His circuits were almost the same as normal Sentries, except that he was wearing a skirt along with shoulder pads.

_Ah, Jarvis!_ Hadn't Malloc mentioned this guy before? This was the 'higher-up' that he had mentioned, for sure. He had the air of someone of high command; the programs cheered for him despite his … questionable appearance.

"Greetings, programs!" Jarvis called out. The greeting was met with cheers. "With the events within the Grid, certain measures have to be taken. There has been a recent influx of new programs …" The whispers immediately started, but Jarvis ignored them.  
Lee had to give him credit for being able to speak in front of such a large crowd.

"… and our leader has been taking precautions. Some of these new programs have taken a …" Jarvis paused, and pursed his lips before continuing. "… _different _mindset. We've especially noticed a disturbing trend within the music community. Music promoting Users, and their ways."

"What?" Lee's question was quiet, but the audience wasn't. He was surprised at the boo's that radiated throughout the arena … Malloc included.

"… We have noticed this, and we are taking action. Here on in, it is strongly discouraged for the mp3 programs here to sing music about the Users …"

Lee couldn't take it anymore. He barged past Malloc and charged through the crowd, jaw clamped. He didn't want to hear this.  
He didn't want to hear his User insulted by someone with such a stupid headpiece.

"… and if any programs hear such music …"

Lee burst through the exit, muttering half-hearted apologies and excuses to the Sentries guarding it.

"… it is strongly encouraged to notify a Sentry within the area."

* * *

AN: Whoa, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. I feel accomplished.  
I'd appreciate any feedback on the story. Thanks for reading, and hope you're enjoying!  
- End of Line -


	4. Chapter IV: Down in the Club

"No, that doesn't flow right ..."

Lee sighed in frustration and deleted the file he was working on. For the past few days, he had been looking at the lyrics his beloved User wrote. A few of them were far beyond hope – too many references to the User world, too many meaningful lyrics that, apparently, CLU and Jarvis couldn't understand.  
Some had potential. Some of the songs could be altered. Most of the club songs were fine. Most programs couldn't understand Japanese, so he was able to keep most of those. Some of the newest ones, however, had no chance. It left him feeling like he had a virus in his system; it was all this altering of the lyrics he had come to love. More than anything, he felt like a traitor. His User would be disappointed to see him like this...

Lee immediately shook off the feeling. He pulled up the lyrics to the next song he had to look over. If this allowed him to keep performing, he would take it. His eyes scanned the first stanza slowly, still analyzing in his head what could be fixed.  
"_Eight AM on a Tuesday morning  
Smoke-stenched air and the sun is dawning merrily  
The frost is thick and my clothes still stink  
Of a million memories that don't stop haunting me  
And I weep…"  
_With a sinking feeling in his circuits, Lee immediately removed the song from his concert list. That was one of his favorites to perform, even if he didn't understand all of it. From his database knowledge, flowers didn't bleed. It was still a gorgeous image.

_An image all to myself … doesn't seem fair._

There were only a couple of songs left for him to look over. There was one he left on the list without question (he had sung it at his last concert; it was a safe one). Only one file was left.  
His hands clenched. This one. He could remove it right away, but he wanted to try. Would he be able to understand it, finally, after leaving it alone for the past few cycles?

The lyrics appeared on the screen.  
"_It started long ago  
A story as long as old  
An army without a solider  
Tonight I will have told ya  
A tale of truth and anger  
A show without a dancer  
A fight without a cancer  
Questions unanswered_ "  
This stanza was easy for Lee to understand. It was a triumph when he recognized that, yes, these were intentional paradoxes. It wasn't supposed to make sense. Perhaps it was to show his User's state of mind. If there was one thing that he could identify with right now, it was the so-called tale of 'truth and anger.'

Lee snarled and shoved himself away from the desk. There was no way he could work when he was this angry. No, it wasn't easy for him to be angry. This, however, was just crazy! How did they even get the idea that pro-User music was bad? Were they insane? Malfunctioning? Or maybe they were just sadistic glitches.  
The lyric analysis wouldn't be done well if he was seething so much. He had to get out for a night. Yes, that's it. Maybe if he just browsed the town for a bit and looked for the stars again, he'd be able to cool down and continue his work tomorrow.

Lee stood up and stretched out before rushing to the mirror to smooth down his hair (wow, it looked like he hadn't taken care of himself for at least ten million cycles). Then, he heard someone at the door. The mp3 program froze in his tracks. Slowly, carefully, he wandered over to the door and allowed it to open.

"Malloc? What're you doing here?" Without the gear, Malloc looked quite … different. Lee could see his short black hair again, along with … now very dull green eyes. His build was still very slim (he double-guessed himself while that armor was on, that's for sure). Now, instead of lightweight armor, he had on a simple orange-circuited vest with a black bodysuit underneath. It was scarcely adorned with orange here and there. At least it looked more like the Malloc he knew before.  
The Scout Sentry peered into Lee's room for a split second, and Lee didn't move. He had nothing to hide.

"Wanted to see if you were all right. I was a bit harsh yesterday."

"Yeah. You were." Lee could barely hold back the clear anger in his voice, and turned to storm back into his room. "I'm working on analyzing the lyrics so I won't offend anyone. Happy?" He heard the door shut; Malloc was definitely in the room, by the slightly heavier footsteps drawing closer to him.

"You're doing the right thing." Malloc attempted to be comforting, but it had a hollow ring to it.

There was a heavy silence between the two – Malloc obviously wanted to press the issue further. He always did. For once, though, Lee just wanted him to leave it be.  
He'd have to find a quick way to drop the subject before he got on a tirade about how evil the Users in the "real world" were.

"You going to the Games tonight?"

"No. They're already over."

"Want to head back to the Master Program Club?" Lee turned to face his old friend, a hopeful smile on his face. Sure, he was still a bit miffed after last night, but maybe the Malloc he knew wasn't totally gone. He had come to apologize, after all. Soldiers rarely did that. More than anything, they went 'good riddance' and went to do another round of patrols. Maybe it'd help further if they danced for a while.  
To be specific, dance for a while at the club where they met.

"Drink's on me." Lee's desperation was obvious. Malloc smiled slightly, and then nodded.

"Of course."

"_Yes!_ All right, come on, let's go!" The mp3 program grabbed Malloc's arm, and rushed out the door before the Sentry could even utter a protest.

* * *

The loud music within the club was especially comforting. It made his ears hurt a bit, but some pain was worth the amount of fun the two were going to have. He could feel it.  
Lee dragged Malloc in by the arm, and his eyes went wide immediately upon entering. The number of programs here were a dramatic cut from what had been there a few cycles ago. He could see the furniture within the club far clearer now. The walls themselves were black, with mock 'circuits' in various colors on the wall. Some chairs and cushions were scattered across the interior, and of course, there was the bar on the right of the club. The DJs were at the left side, diligently pumping out the music.

Those were some dedicated DJs, if he did say so himself. Had they been here for the entire time since his resolution? Well, it didn't matter. Only one thing was on his mind.

"Head to the dance floor first?" Lee didn't even wait for an answer before charging off to the center of the club. It was therapeutic to just let go and move to whatever beat seemed to be playing at the moment.  
The Games didn't bring programs together. Music did – the way everyone was moving to their own interpretation of the music was proof of this. Everyone was still themselves, with the way they were grooving to the music.

With one idle glance to the side, Lee noticed that Malloc had taken a seat at the bar, not even looking at the dance floor.  
The depressing feeling returned. He should have probably asked before just rushing off. Was he that desperate to get away? He made a move to walk over, but he felt someone bump into him. He turned to see a female program with short brown hair. She winked before she went back to dancing.

_Well, five more milliseconds. Then I'll go over._

Lee timed himself to be sure that he'd be over at the bar in time, and sure enough, he took a seat on one of the stools right next to Malloc. A drink was already waiting for him. With a grin, he picked it up and took a sip. There was a shocked look on his face as he set it back down.

"This is a Grid Grasshopper! How did they get the recipe for this – I thought it was just the End of Line Club!" Malloc laughed, and then downed his shot glass in one swig.

"You give way too much credit to that club. It's like you idolize it or something."  
One drink and Malloc was already loosening up. This was especially promising. "Then again, it is a pretty neat place."

"Man, you've been there without me? The other Sentries still wouldn't let me in! Saying I'm not 'qualified' or something like that." Malloc thought for a moment, and then leaned on the desk next to him.

"Castor's been getting a lot of requests from mp3 programs to perform lately. That might be why. He might be getting annoyed."  
Well, as disappointing as that was, that made more than enough sense. Lee was obviously an mp3 program, and Castor would assume he'd want to go in to perform … maybe he'd just have to lie low a bit before he could go up that elevator and see for himself. He'd have to give Castor some time. The requests would slow down eventually. Then he'd get in!

"Hey, Lee. You've got something in your pocket." Lee was immediately jerked out of his thoughts.

"Eh?" He glanced down at his pants; there was something in his pocket? When did that get there? There was indeed something jutting out of his right pocket. He fished out a small circular object and looked at it curiously for a moment. "… Heck's this?" Lee closed his eyes for a second – he definitely didn't bring it with him … and the only program that he ran into was that brunette on the dance floor.  
He might not be the best detective ever, but this was pretty obvious. She must have slipped it in while he was dancing, and he didn't even notice.

"Looks like a communicator, though it's a strangely shaped one." Lee could hear the creeping seriousness within Malloc's voice; that was the Sentry coming out. He already knew the next thing that was going to come out of the Sentry's mouth. "Can I see it?"

"Pretty sure I got it from a girl. Don't think that message is for you, buddy!" Lee flashed a grin and pocketed the supposed communicator, and was relieved when Malloc heartily laughed. Quick thinking was a blessing sometimes. "Maybe if you go and dance for a while, you'll be able to get a message too!"  
After finishing the second round of drinks, the pair rushed over to the dance floor.

* * *

AN: Sorry for the wait, everyone; I had to finish my classes. I am officially graduated! Horray! So while I am out of school, I also lose the advantage of having a distraction-free environment. So chapters will not be shown as quick. But I will get this story done. Why? Because I can.  
Please leave some feedback; it'd be very appreciated! Thank you so much for reading!


	5. Chapter V: Can You Resist?

It seemed like an eternity before he was able to leave the club. He was so curious about what was in that communicator? Was that what Malloc called it? It definitely didn't seem like the regular ones he saw other programs using. Maybe it was a different model. Still, there was one thing still nagging at him despite the appearance of the device: Why would a program need to give it to him so discreetly?

The questions battered his brain. It kind of bothered him a bit, but still, it was exciting. Apparently, word _did_ get around about him. He was flattered that his fans couldn't stop talking about him. Or maybe it was just that he was a guy dancing alone on the floor. Either one was possible, but still. A _girl_ had noticed him when he wasn't onstage.

Initially, he had retired to his room. Lee flopped on the bed, holding up the strange device before him and then he remembered that this place could be searched at any moment. While he didn't feel too threatened (it was probably just a love transmission, after all), perhaps it'd be better suited to go to the roof for this, despite how tired he was. With a heavy sigh, the mp3 program stood up and began the long climb to the top of the roof.

It took longer than usual.

_Never again. _His legs were already aching, and his arms could only pull him up so high. Finally, he reached the top of the roof. For once, Lee ignored the clouds covering the supposed sky. He immediately walked to his usual corner. The moment he sat down, he pulled out the communicator once again and examined it. There was no 'on' switch no 'switch' period. There had to be a way to turn this on. He fumbled with the controls for a minute.

The mp3 program yelped when a hologram appeared out of the center of the device, and he almost dropped it. Lee managed to keep a grip on the device, and took a second to examine the hazy blue hologram before it began talking. It no, she had short brown hair, Grid armor it was the same program he danced with at the club. The image of the girl was flickering in and out. His circuits pulsated once, and then he began to listen.

"_Hello, program. You probably really don't remember me, but that's all right. That's probably safer._"

Safer? What did she mean by that? Lee blinked. Just by these few sentences, he could assume that this was definitely not a love transmission. Before he could even begin to analyze what she meant by that, the hologram had resumed speaking.

"_Names aren't important; they'll be tracked. But that's not why I gave you this. I gave you this because you're an mp3 program. And you know what happened with Jarvis in the Gaming Grid few cycles ago._"

The gloved hand holding the communicator clenched tightly as he recalled the ridiculous announcement.

"_We're forming a revolution._" The hologram paused and shifted a bit, then resumed her straight posture. "_And we need your help. Any mp3 program who has their music censored should be willing to fight for their User's music. Their freedom. And I know you'll meet us and join us._" She flashed a smile and brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear.

Lee's eyes widened; now he was shaking slightly. A revolution? Him? He only sang. He only danced. He wasn't a warrior by any means. If he got into a fight with a Sentry, he'd be derezzed in a nanosecond. The mere thought of it made him shudder; for a moment, he had to look away. Compose himself. Take a deep breath.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lee saw another program on the roof of another building. He stood up clumsily, still clutching the open communicator. Was this the same program he saw a few days ago? Lee squinted his eyes as he attempted to observe the supposed spy before he could get a better look, they were gone.

The figure was slender; Lee knew that much. He was truly scared now had Malloc listened in on the hologram? Did he know that he had gotten a suspicious object? Lee pocketed the device and quickly began the descent down the side towards his room. The message was still playing, although far quieter now that it was well, in his pocket.

"_I'll meet you tomorrow at the Master Program Club right after the Games are over. Come right away. I'll find you in the center of the dance floor during the second song, and I'll get you to headquarters. Trust me. I don't forget a face when I see one." _Lee had climbed into his quarters by the time his message had finished; there was one more strange noise that made him pull out the tool one more time.

"_We can't risk being tracked, program. Destroy this as soon as you can._" The hologram of the girl flickered and vanished.

He stared dumbly for a moment, trying to wrap his mind around this entire scenario. He couldn't show this to Malloc. That was clear enough. This girl trusted him and he hated the Sentry Malloc. However, there was no way _no_ way he could join up and fight. That was simply beyond his capabilities. Lee haphazardly shoved the device into one of his drawers, and rushed to his concert schedule. He had to have some sort of excuse to avoid something like this.

_Aha. Perfect._ He did indeed have a show the next day at the Master Program Club.

His circuits immediately sank. So much for having a way out of this. Lee's fists clenched as he shut down the computer. How was he going to explain this to that girl? That he couldn't join?

_Maybe I can dwell on it tomorrow. _He had an entire day to think, after all. With a sinking feeling, Lee climbed into bed. His body ached the second he put his head on the pillow, and then, he slept.

* * *

AN: Sorry for taking so long with this chapter! Like I said, no non-distracting aura of school. I'd like to extend a quick thanks to my beta thus far, Ayala. I can't get her full username at the moment, since, well, I can't access Beta Reading stuff at the moment (don't know why!) ...

Thanks for reading thus far and sticking with it. ^_^ Please let me know if there's anything I need to improve on so far!


End file.
